XRP Could Flip Bitcoin, but the Market-Cap Gap Is Vast

Published: 2026-09-13 17:41:59 |

David Schwartz, a Ripple veteran and XRP Ledger architect, said XRP could eventually surpass Bitcoin in market capitalisation. He stressed that this would require strong growth across the entire crypto market, with XRP expanding faster than BTC through greater XRP Ledger adoption, functionality and real-world use. The scenario would not depend on a collapse in Bitcoin’s value. The current market-cap gap remains substantial. Bitcoin is valued at roughly $1.55 trillion, while XRP has a market capitalisation of about $87 billion. XRP is therefore around 18 times smaller. If Bitcoin’s valuation stayed unchanged, XRP would need to reach approximately $1.55 trillion. Based on its current circulating supply, that would imply a price of about $24-$25, compared with roughly $1.40 at the time of the report. Historical data also shows the difficulty of a potential XRP flippening. In early 2018, XRP reached about $120 billion in market capitalisation, nearly half of Bitcoin’s $250-$260 billion. Today, XRP represents only around 5%-6% of Bitcoin’s market value. For traders, the comments are a long-term scenario rather than an immediate market catalyst. XRP’s relative performance will depend on adoption, network utility, liquidity and broader crypto-market expansion.

Neutral

The market impact is neutral because the report presents a long-term possibility rather than a confirmed development, partnership or regulatory change. David Schwartz’s comments may attract speculative interest to XRP and encourage traders to compare XRP/BTC relative strength. However, the figures show that XRP would need extraordinary appreciation to close the current market-cap gap, especially if Bitcoin continues to rise. In the short term, the comments could produce limited bullish sentiment in XRP, particularly among retail traders and during periods of strong altcoin momentum. Such moves could increase volume and volatility but are unlikely to materially affect Bitcoin’s broader trend. Similar historical discussions about Ethereum potentially surpassing Bitcoin generated periodic speculation without producing a lasting flippening. Over the long term, the outlook would become more constructive for XRP if payment adoption, XRP Ledger activity, institutional use and liquidity improved significantly. Traders should monitor XRP/BTC performance, trading volume, network usage, circulating supply and Bitcoin’s market-cap growth. Without measurable adoption or a major catalyst, the claim remains a high-risk, highly speculative thesis rather than a reliable trading signal.